Gear Up For Fishing

October-November 2006

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.
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Story and photos by Guy Light
GPS and depth finder options.

When we moved from Michigan to Carson City, Nevada in 1991, I never dreamed I’d get ‘hooked’ on fishing—in the desert?

We brought a canoe with us and I volunteered to man the boat while my wife fished for trout. But I soon got hooked myself.

We went from canoe to a fishing boat, but then discovered kayaking and sold the big boat. I also wanted to troll so I developed the LPW Kayak Power System—an electric motor that operates from the cockpit.

Over time, our kayak fishing has evolved and we’ve added products to our kayak. Here are some of the items we use and recommend. Although we mostly fish high mountain lakes, many of these items can be adapted for your style of fishing.

GPS

On our 21 ft tandem Seaward Southwind we have a Garmin 168. Its power source is 12v from my LPW Power System battery and it’s mounted on a Scotty receptacle for a rod holder. This unit has all the bells and whistles—mapping, location marking, depth, fish finder, speed and water temperature. A very nice feature is that the depth, temperature and fish finder head can be epoxied inside your boat—no parts dragging in the water!

For a simpler application, a good, waterproof, hiking GPS is very efficient. You can look at your lure action and check your speed to get the best action on your baits.

DEPTH FINDERS

Even with our Garmin 168’s convenience and many features, it has one slight drawback. Its cone angle is 15 degrees, which means in shallow water of say a foot and a half, it’s only seeing about a 7 foot diameter view of the bottom. These units are designed for deeper water.

Small portable units like the ‘Sidefinder Buddy’ ($170 US) or completely handheld units like ‘Sportsman’s Guide’ ($75 US), with a floating cable-attached sensor head, are very adaptable to kayaks. They either look sideways or have wide angle viewing. Then there’s ‘Smart Cast’, a unit with a castable sensor head and a Dick Tracy-like wristwatch, which is quick and effective ($100 US).

LPW KAYAK POWER SYSTEM

LPW Kayak Power System.

If the idea of powering your kayak electrically appeals to you, the LPW Kayak Power System kit may be of interest.

It fits approximately 80% of existing kayaks and uses a deep draw marine battery to power an electric trolling motor. The estimated top speed of the system with a 17-21 foot kayak is 5.5 mph. At a cruising speed of 4 mph, the battery’s range is approximately 25 miles.

You can raise the motor and rudder independently of each other from the cockpit, making your kayak easy to paddle when the motor is up.

FISHING MINI-SKIRT

A mini-skirt makes a very convenient work area and isn’t as restrictive as a full spray skirt, but it does keep drips, splashes and sun off your legs. We’ve designed and produced a mini-skirt for our fishing kayak with attachment points for a small tackle box, bait, rod retainers, a portable GPS or other small items needed at hand when fishing.

DECK RIGGING

Many kayaks have bungies on their decks to hold assorted items. If your kayak lacks bungie deck rigging, adding some is a simple process so you can store your net, extra rod, etc. on your deck. In my kayak, I have Scotty rod holders in front of me. For people who paddle and troll, a rod holder beside or behind allows more freedom to paddle.

ROD RETAINERS

Losing your rod overboard would spoil an otherwise great fishing trip. A rod retainer can be as little as a small line tied around your rod and clipped to your deck rigging. We find Scotty’s coiled paddle retainer works great as a rod retainer. The coiled line stays out of your way, causing no entanglement.

Tackle box with retainer.

TACKLE BOX

My wife is totally convinced that wherever I go, I take everything with me, including the kitchen sink. Over the years we have consistently downsized our tackle requirements. We’re now using a couple of very nifty NRS waterproof boxes (part # 2979) with hooks, leaders, lures, flashers, weights and more. We attach short retaining cords to our boxes and clip them onto the attachment points on our fishing mini-skirts.

ANCHORING

Usually, when I need to anchor, it’s because it’s windy. On many of the high mountain lakes where we fish, the action seems to improve when the wind comes up and there is a ripple on the water. The fish seem to know if the water is rippled the prey can’t see them as easily.

Many fishing kayaks have anchors mounted on their bows. But I don’t want to cast into the wind, so I developed a system that allows me to attach my anchor to a line at the stern, so the anchor holds my stern into the breeze and I can cast downwind. Small folding anchors such as those sold at fishing and marine stores work well and 1/8” 100 pound test nylon line or cord is adequate. It all rolls up into a small zippered bag for easy stowing.

For areas too deep to anchor, I use a ‘sea anchor’ or drogue that deploys from the stern. The biggest problem I’ve had is finding a drogue small enough—kayaks are so much lighter than power boats!

FISH STRINGERS

If you’re going to catch your dinner, you need a fish stringer. Most of the inexpensive fish stringers you can buy have a chain attachment that will scratch your kayak. I took all the important parts off and added a soft cord that secures around my seat post but doesn’t scratch my boat. In fresh water you can get away with using a fish stringer and leaving your fish in the water, but this practice could be a disaster in saltwater. You don’t want to become a potential target for seals or something bigger!

Rear deploying anchor.

WADERS

When we just go paddling, we wear our Kokatat drysuits, but when we go kayak fishing, our Hodgman breathable waders are great. However, it’s absolutely essential to wear a PFD with waders because if you end up in the water, your waders will be full of water. Be sure to cinch up the side straps or wear a snug fitting belt at the waistline.

PFDs

Our regular Kokatat Misfit PFDs are wonderful. But for long hours of hunting the elusive trout, our self-inflating ‘Sospenders’ give us even more freedom of movement for dealing with our tackle boxes.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST

Polarized sunglasses are essential on the water. You can see further into the water without the glare and they help prevent eye strain and headaches. Remember, they should have a strong UV rating. And don’t forget to take along your sunscreen, and use it. Even on a cloudy day that sun can burn! Long sleeve shirts and pants, especially UV-resistant ones, are good protection on the water.

© Guy Light’s LPW Kayak Power System are sold to fishermen, photographers, tour operators, and to everyday kayakers who might run out of steam while paddling into a headwind. Guy has built and raced Pro Rally cars for 35 years, with three national titles and three wins at Pike’s Peak. He continues to consult and build cars for racers, and also builds and flies large scale radio control model airplanes, landsails and a powered parachute.

SOURCE GUIDE